close
Wednesday, November 20, 2024

New York prosecutors ask judge to delay sentencing Trump until he leaves office in 2029

The judge, Mr Merchan, will make the final decision whether to toss out the case as requested by Mr Trump’s lawyers or delay his sentencing till 2029.

• November 19, 2024
Donald Trump
Donald Trump

Prosecutors in Manhattan, New York, have informed Justice Juan Merchan that they are willing to wait till 2029 after Donald Trump must have been stripped of his presidential immunity to get him sentenced for his hush money trial.

A team of attorneys have pleaded that Mr Merchan holds off on sentencing the president-elect convicted of 34 felony counts in May for trying to cover up a sexual indiscretion with an adult worker before the 2016 elections.

The prosecutors prayed the court to allow them to present their argument on December 9 against Mr Trump’s lawyers, who asked that the case be thrown out, asserting that a looming sentence would impair “President Trump’s ability to govern.”

Mr Trump’s lawyers contended that the prosecutors’ argument reeked of “glaring holes” validated by the Supreme Court’s ruling that justified the president-elect’s moves to overturn the 2020 polls provided he was acting in an official capacity.

The senior court, in July, returned the case to lower courts to determine which of Mr Trump’s actions could be deemed official and non-official in the wake of the 2020 elections.

Mr Trump was convicted by a grand jury on all 34 counts in May.

While prosecutors said they respect the immunities that come with the presidency, they asked the court to consider the peculiarity of the matter in that the trial began when Mr Trump had no immunity.

They said immunity does not guarantee the automatic dismissal of “a post-trial criminal proceeding that was initiated at a time when the defendant was not immune from criminal prosecution and that is based on unofficial conduct.”

The judge over the matter, Mr Merchan, will make the final decision whether to toss out the case as requested by Mr Trump’s lawyers or delay his sentencing till 2029 when he would have lost immunity.

We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.

More from Peoples Gazette

Abubakar Kyari

Agriculture

FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology

The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices

Katsina State

Politics

Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku

“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”

NiMet

NationWide

NiMet issues weather advisory, warns of dust haze, sunshine

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency NiMet has predicted sunshine and dust haze from Wednesday to Friday across the country.

Screenshot of soldiers assaulting couple

Abuja

Army orders investigation into alleged soldiers’ brutalising of Abuja couple 

Acting army Olufemi Oluyede has ordered an investigation into alleged soldiers’ brutality of a couple.

Abuja Environmental Protection Board

Abuja

AEPB takes campaign against open defecation to FCT suburbs

The director of the board, Osilama Braimah, stated this during the campaign at Bmuko and Dutse Makaranta in Bwari Area Council of the FCT on Tuesday.

Prisoners

Rights

PRAWA pledges to sustain advocacy on criminal justice reforms

PRAWA has also helped those who have survived prison by successfully integrating them into the community.

Linda McMahon; WWE

World

Trump appoints former WWE executive McMahon as education secretary

Ms McMahon is best known for her tenure as the CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), a company she co-founded with her husband, Vince McMahon.

Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva

World

G20 members have responsibility to transform lives, Brazil’s president says

Mr Da Silva said this during the closing ceremony of the 19th G20 Leaders Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.